Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., left, and Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., right, walk outside the chamber during debate in the Senate on immigration, at the Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2018. Schumer said on the Senate floor that “the one person who seems most intent on not getting a deal is President Trump.” (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

Those who want us to believe American citizens are hopelessly divided on the issue of immigration would rather score political points than solve the real problems. To them, preserving the status quo is a political win.

Despite a week of outrage, grandstanding, hypocrisy and disinformation, some progress has been made on our nation’s perennial immigration crisis.

Most notably, President Trump signed an executive order that aims to prevent the separation of families when legally possible, while still prosecuting those who are caught trying to illegally enter the country. The president has also called for immigration cases involving families to be expedited, and for the expansion of family detention capacity.

Although President Trump’s actions are a good-faith attempt to address an ongoing humanitarian crisis and maintain border security, they are nothing more than a Band-Aid solution to a complex and persistent problem. The president, unfortunately, cannot do Congress’ job for them.

For decades, the immigration crisis has resulted in a prisoner’s dilemma for elected officials, where the political gain for ensuring the crisis continues is perceived to outweigh the benefits of actually dealing with it. This calculation should no longer be tolerated.

Prior to the president’s order, Democrats were presented with an opportunity to sign a stand-alone bill to address the family separation issue, no strings attached. In what was one of the most naked admissions of political opportunism, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer promptly rejected the offer on the grounds that legislating is too difficult, and that the president could more easily address the issue through executive action. Schumer’s excuse for inaction and complacency with the status quo reflects a complete dereliction of Congress’ constitutional duty to legislate. Perhaps those who find the job to be too hard are in the wrong line of work.

In the meantime, the humanitarian crisis Democrats purport to care so deeply about persists, as migrant women and children continue to be brutalized while trying to cross the border. Never mind the untold costs of unfettered illegal immigration and inadequately secured borders on American citizens as it pertains to the economy, national security and public safety.

Our immigration crisis can largely be solved today. Republicans in Congress have put forth multiple variations of common-sense solutions to address the obvious issues: border security first and foremost, problems with our legal immigration system, and yes, even the Dreamers. Moreover, the president has signaled his openness to signing off on any plan that addresses the primary issues of concern for both parties.

While there may be some disagreement on the specifics, the inconvenient truth is that at one point, virtually all current and former Democratic leadership supported many of the same solutions being offered today. Instead of continuing to punt the proverbial football down the field for political gain, or pushing a radical and inhumane open borders agenda, Democrats should come to the table and fulfill their constitutional duties.

Maintaining the status quo is no longer the politically expedient thing to do.